No map means no understanding of where I am. I remember the sight from the castle window. The surrounding landscape outside the city was a barren wasteland as far as the eyes reached. Seeing all this greenery and even hearing birds sing in the trees gives me a strange feeling. I don't think this is the Demon Continent...

With all the things Maou-mama has failed me in, I'm kinda expecting that this is the human continent - if there's something like that. That would put me smack in the middle of enemy territory. I still don't have any clothes, only my body paint-like solution, but if it comes down to it, I can always wrap myself in the blankets from my survival kit. Appearance-wise, I should be able to pass as a normal human being, as long as I don't absorb things through my skin for all to see. I mean, I can eat normally, but after learning of this convenient way, I don't feel like chewing and swallowing anymore.

While she didn't specify where I'd end up in, I expected it to be somewhere on the Demon Continent. Still, if this isn't it, that'd be pretty bad. Even after all that happened, I doubt she's going to make a mistake like that though, right? No point in thinking about it by myself, time to find some clues.

But really, starting in such an idyllic looking place is more like it for the beginning of an adventure. This properly looks like a level 1 area now. Then again, I think I'm strong enough to challenge harder content, although I'd rather not. Peaceful is best after all, especially now that I know this is reality.

So, I guess this is a test for those children who want to sit on the demon king throne one day. They're thrown into an unknown place and have to find their way back, overcoming hardships and traveling the world at the same time. Those who can't make it back are not fit to be rulers. I can understand that; it's done by people in the positions of power to strengthen their children's characters. After all, power breeds complacency, especially over generations of abundance. A king who doesn't know the hardships of life will drive his kingdom into ruin.

But this doesn't have anything to do with me. I don't really want the throne, especially if there are competing siblings. Actually, I forgot to ask, but Maou-mama mentioned my brothers and sisters as if there were a whole bunch of them. Considering the fact that there's no father... does a Crawling Chaos reproduce asexually or what? From her appearance, I would have guessed that she's a succubus rather than the same thing as I am - if it hadn't been for her showing me how to eat.

I'm walking while thinking about all the things I've experienced so far. The sun is setting, and I'll have to find a place to sleep. Now I realize my tactical blunder. These plains have no trees, and it's quite windy. In other words, where do I pitch my tent and seek shelter from the elements? While it doesn't look like it'll rain, I'll catch a cold if I sleep out in the open. Then again, does my constitution even allow me to get sick? In either case, I'll have to find a solution to this problem.

Ah, fur is the best. It's warm and really cozy, and my tail is so fluffy. I've found a boulder behind which the wind is less severe, spread the tanned leather sheet under me and changed into a Vularen. I didn't realize before, but these wolf beasts have pretty soft fur. Now, this is comfortable, and I should be able to get through the night without a problem. And if I'm to trust Maou-mama's words, Vularen are quite dangerous beasts, so if this is an easy area, monsters will keep away from me.

Time to sleep, then. Although I'm hungry, I'll have to bear with it for now. I still have the undigested one inside me, so I'll start dissolving it while I sleep to keep my nutrients going.

I wake up to the sound of thunder. Wow, why am I not surprised? Of course, when I sleep out in the open, it'll be a lightning storm. Ah, I just felt a drop. It's started to rain. And now it's pouring. Luckily, I stored the backpack inside my body. I thought about it and understood that if I consciously will a part inside me to not dissolve its contents, it can do just that. Doesn't mean it will keep living things alive, though. I'm sorry, wolf beast whose form I've taken.

So now it's just me that's getting wet. I'm feeling heavier and heavier by the second. My fur is soaking in the rain and dragging me down. Damn, this is inconvenient, it's not the type that repels water.

My eyes can see in the dark. I guess it's my species that gives me night vision. I can see my surroundings quite clearly. So this is how cats see the world at night? There's nothing I can use as shelter in sight. I'm thoroughly awake now, so I might as well just start moving again. I won't go back to the forest entrance though, that'd be wasting all the progress I made during the remaining few hours of the day. Still, having no clock is quite inconvenient during night time. I can't tell how long I slept or how long it'll be until sunrise.

Then again, I don't really need to know, I guess. I have nothing planned for the next day, after all. No school, no club activities... damn, I'm starting to think about my previous life again. It's still hard to accept that it's all over, and so abruptly, too. I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to all the people I cared about.

I walk through the rain, in human form and consciously naked. There's no point in expending mind and energy in maintaining modesty by creating the outward appearance of wearing clothes. I'm wrapping myself with the tanned leather to block the rain, but it's not big enough to cover all of me. It's not like anyone's going to see me here anyway. I thought about it before and made my hair into a single sheet, something I learned from certain body-manipulating parasites, covering my head and shoulders. At least I won't have to deal with wet hair then.

Oh, there's a lone tree on a hill, and it's huge. I'm sure I can find shelter from the rain underneath. I quicken my pace and run towards it, wrapping the leather around my body tightly. I guess it's a lucky break.

There's already someone here. Not just someone, but a lot of living beings surround the trunk of the tree, huddled together against the winds. Leaning against the trunk is a person in a cloak, seemingly asleep. The other living beings are sheep of some sort. They look and sound the same as the ones I know from my world, except for a few small details. Their fur grows in various colors, including unnatural ones, such as pink and dark blue, and they have tails that stand up like those of happy dog's.

When I approach, some of the sheep-like creatures bleat at me, and this, in turn, wakes up the person who is most likely the shepherd. It's a boy wearing a straw hat, only in his early teenage years. He looks around cautiously, before spotting me in all of my barely covered and wet glory. I'm already getting used to being seen naked, and if I can get some shelter here, I don't care anymore. The boy looks at me with round eyes, as if he saw a ghost. Never seen a naked girl before? I'm mostly in my appearance from before my death, be it nostalgia or a lingering regret, but my breasts still haven't been restored to their full glory. So this isn't even my final form.

I walk towards him, and he presses his back against the tree, lacking a path to back away on. I won't do anything; I'm just finding a dry spot to sleep in. Walking straight past him, I sit down on the other side of the trunk and prepare to change into a Vularen again, when I reconsider my position. I'm surrounded by sheep and their shepherd, so if I turn into something that very clearly looks like their predator, it will cause them to panic. Is there such a relation between wolves and sheep in this world? Guess I'll have to wrap myself in the leather and spend the night like this. It's not like I actually feel cold. I just hope the boy will leave me alone...

"Are you... a fairy?" A voice asks me. Obviously, it belongs to that boy. What part of me looks like a fairy? I'm practically wearing only a piece of tanned leather, hugging my knees, wet from head to toe. My hair looks inhuman though, so maybe that's what he's referring to? Do fairies have head-wings here or what? "You must be cold. Here, take this." I look up to see that he's holding out a coat made of sheep wool. Oh, what a nice kid. But I'm not cold; I just don't like the sensation of being wet. Maybe I can use it to dry myself, but that would be a little disrespectful. Thus, I shake my head. "But you're only wearing so little. You must be cold." Now he's bothering me. I just want to sleep.

I look into his eyes. He's blond and has blue eyes. Everything about him looks human, so I can't help but think Maou-mama really messed up and didn't specify to Mithra where to send me. He seems entranced by my appearance, and I hear him swallow. Ah, if only you knew my real appearance. You'd run away screaming, kiddo.

Putting my head on my knees, I ignore him. I'm too tired to start a conversation now. And I can feel that the Vularen inside me has been fully digested. Only need an opportune time to shed its bones. I won't do it here, though; not in front of someone else. While I don't claim to be an idol, and I don't ever feel the need to pick flowers anyway, having someone watch is a no-no in any world.

He seems to be standing in front of me, unsure of what to do, but soon I hear his footsteps as he rounds the tree and sits down on the other side again. Good, I'll have my peace now.

I wake up to the sound of birds. When I look up, the sheep are still around. In fact, the sun isn't up yet. Well, I'm not sleepy anymore, so I get up and walk away, trying not to disturb the shepherd boy. He's still sleeping on the other side of the tree with his hat pulled deeply into his face. I'll leave no signs of my presence behind and make him think I was just a wet dream - literally. Over the ridge of a hill I change my shape into that of a Vularen, pull the leather sheet inside my body into the same space as where the backpack is, and walk towards the sunrise.